Halloween!?!

pKristi, My daughter will be having her 3rd peanut free and her first official soy, nut, and coconut free halloween. I buy only safe treats to pass out and I have some extra treats around and we exchange any not safe foods (most candies) and redistribute the not safe (allergy causing) candy to the older children in the neighborhood./p
pThis year I may make some of my own snacks/treats for my duaghter to trade./p
pGood Luck./p
pMary Lynn/p

pWe have chosen not to worry about taking our daughter trick-or-treating until the time comes that she begins to question us about it. Since she's only 3...this hasn't happened yet and I don't expect it will until/unless she gets to school (we may homeschool). However, we do allow her to help us pass out treats to the trick-or-treaters that do come by; and we do answer any questions she may have. Right now, it's too difficult to explain to her that she can go trick-or-treating but that she can't have much (if any) of the candy she gets. (She's also allergic to egg, wheat, soy...so almost ALL candy is out of the question. [img]http://client.ibboards.com/peanutallergy/frown.gif[/img])/p

pThis will be my 4yo son's third Halloween and he's debating whether he wants to be a clown or a cowboy this year. [img]http://client.ibboards.com/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] We start trick-or-treating early and I accompany him every step of the way. He knows he can't eat any candy until we get home. Once we're back at the house, I comb through all the candy and most of it does get "recycled." I save the suspect candy for the late trick-or-treaters, usually the teens who should have given up trick or treating long ago. /p
pI use Halloween as an educational opportunity. My son watches which candy I keep and which candy is given away. Getting the candy is only half the fun. Dressing up in costume and going out with your friends is also a big part of the festivities./p
pNoreen/p

pWhen my son was ages 2-4, I was able to get away with this trick. I kept an identical, "substitute" pre-loaded pumpkin in the house. When he came in from trick-or-treating, I did a "pumpkin switch" - - took my pre-stuffed pumpkin (which was filled with homebaked treats wrapped in those little Halloween bags, as well as non-edible items). My son had no idea that I pulled a switch. /p
pI also recycled the unacceptable candy. I did pull out a few Reeses cups - - to show him the wrapper, say " this has peanuts, this we have to take away" (and I traded him an acceptable item for each unacceptable peanut one)./p
pTrick or treating is tons of fun for the kids. They don't have to be deprived of everything just because of this allergy. Be creative! You'd be amazed at the substitues you can come up with. /p
pBy the way in another year or two, I plan to start throwing an annual Halloween party, on Halloween, and invite all of my son's friends in costume. That's 100% assurance of Halloween safety - - and eliminates trick-or treating too!/p
p[This message has been edited by LauraP (edited September 03, 1999).]/p

pBoth of my children enjoy the fun of dressing up and going out trick or treating. They both understand that they are not to eat anything until it is checked at home (we are with them every step of the way). This is not just to protect from accidentally ingesting peanuts, but because we feel you need to be safe and ensure nothing *unusual* has been handed out. When we get home the candy is checked - if it has peanuts or is not labeled it goes into one pile, acceptable candy goes into another - this is done for my PA daughter and also the one who isn't. The pile with nuts is bundled up and leaves the house that night - to friends or family who can tolerate peanuts. I have a strict rule about not haveing any peanut products in the house - not even overnight - paranoid I know, but I would rather not take the chance. My PA daughter is only 3 and it is amazing the stuff she can get into...keeps me hopping!/p
pHappy (and safe!) Halloween everyone!/p

pMy Halloween experiences are quite similar to the previous posters' experiences. My son and non-PA daughter are really much more concerned with their costumes than the candy. We generally go out for about an hour, come home, and go through all the candy. My son looks at what he can and cannot have due to his peanut/egg allergies--this is a good learning experience. We usually throw the offensive stuff out or I take it into my office. My son has never felt bad or "jilted". I don't know if it is just his personality or the fact that it is just a part of his life but he is so good-natured and accepting of the whole allergy that we never feel bad for him. /p
pAs far as the candy, after the first day or two my kids start forgetting that it is there and I end up throwing most of it out.br /
Christine/p

pHi LauraP:/p
pWhat a great idea about throwing a Halloween party for the older kids!. As long as I accompany my son every step of the way, I don't worry about trick-or-treating. I *would* feel uncomfortable letting him go trick-or-treating by himself. Trick-or-treating will stop earlier for him (when he wants to go without Mom) but there's always the big party as a substitute. I loved Halloween as a kid and am glad my PA son gets to enjoy the fun as well./p
pNoreen/p

pI do what I do at Easter. Throw out all the candy my son collects and substitute with my own safe candy. So far hehasn't noticed!/p

pI HAVE A SUGGESTION THAT MIGHT WORK FOR SEVERAL OF YOU. HOW ABOUT HAVING YOUR CHILD "TRADE-IN" THEIR CANDY FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL JUST FOR THEM: PERHAPS A TOY OR A MOVIE OR SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD ENJOY. FOR OLDER CHILDREN, MAYBE BUYING THE CANDY BACK FROM THEM MIGHT BE FUN. (JUST A FEW DOLLARS IS WHAT I AM THINKING)br /
OF COURSE, ESCORTING YOUR PA CHILD WHILE TRICK OR TREATING IS IMPORTANT NOT ONLY FOR WHAT THEY MIGHT EAT, BUT FOR THEIR OVERALL SAFETY. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE, STAY SAFE/p